The Chron _
Vol. XXXVIII No. 8 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, October 20, 2011
wssu
basketball
teams hit
the court
?See Pane US
Actor
returns
home to
tout show
-See Paffe A2
* COBfolhCa o.ir
? ? COU1
fire^gftestFif
enga^ton'Sal
in battle
- See Pane HI
Ocuppy
Winston
/
movement
in motion
BY TODD LUCK
I HI ( HRONICL1
Locals have joined the Occupy Wall
Street movement, which began in New York
City about a month ago.
Protestors have taken to the streets to
denounce what they say is corporate greed
and the growing gulf between the haves and
have-nots.
Only a few weeks old. Occupy Winston
Salem held its first press conference last
week and its first protest on Sunday. Locals
say they joined the movement to express
their growing dissatisfaction.
Photo by Ttxki Luck
N at It an We I ling u s es
pasta to illustrate the
concept of strength in
numbers at last week's
press conference.
Winston
Salem native
A s h ay a
Hammond, a
mother of
three who
owns a small
landscaping
c o m pan y
with her
husband,
found nut
about the
local move
ment on
Facebook .
"1 joined
this move
in e n t
because it
represents a
voice that's
not currently being represented through our
government poliey and I wanted to show my
kids what democracy looks like." she said.
Hammond said the group discussed
"occupying" a park or other highly visible
space like the Occupy Wall Street and other
movements have done, but members could
n't find a way to do it legally in Winston
Salem.
The group has instead decided to conduct
old fashioned demonstrations. Members
said the group is working closely with the
Winston-Salem Police Department to obtain
permits for their protests, so they expect no
problems with police like other Occupy
movements have had.
Occupy Winston's first protest, which
attracted about 200 people, was held Sunday
in front of the Bank of America branch on
South Stratford Road. Bank of America is
often cited by Occupy protestors as an exam
ple of what is wrong with Corporate
America. The corporation has been criticized
See Ocuppy on All
Photos by Layla Farmer
Richard Walls Jr.,
this year's Wells
Fargo Principal of
the Year for
Winston
Salem/Forsyth
County Schools,
sits at his desk at
Winston-Salem
Prep.
Below: WSPA stu
dents, faculty and
staff surprise
Watts with a con
gratulatory cake
last week.
I Jill
KK ha
? uuNCirAi
Watts still modest about successes after second top principal award
BY LAY I. A FARMER
THE C HRONICLE '
Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy Principal Richard Watts Jr.
has built his career one relationship at a time.
Watts, a native of Fredericksburg, Va., said he was honored last
week to be named Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools' Principal
of the Year for the second time in his 28-year educational career.
"I'm just humbled that someone recognizes what I'm trying to do
for the kids." he said.
Yet. it's the bonds Watts, the oldest of five children, has formed
with students along the way that mean the most to him, not the acco
lades.
"It's about building relationships and making the kids believe in
you." said the 49 year-old. "For me. when kids call me 'daddy' ... 1
know I've really made a connection."
As an African American male. Watts has always been in the minor
See W atts on A 10
Budding opera star uses talent to break barriers
Piedmont C)prra Photo /
Michael '
K eddi ng as
" I) o n
Giovanni. "
BY LAYLA FARMKR
THE CHRONIC'I-H ? .
In the midst of a prolific career that has
taken him around the globe. UNC School of
the Arts alumnus Michael Redding is
returning to a familiar place later this
month, as the principal (lead singer) in
Piedmont Opera's Don Giovanni.
Redding, a baritone, is a resident of
I ^ Chicago and a 1999 alumnus of the
J school. He will portray Giovanni, a vil
I lainous womanizer, in the opera, which
f will be staged at Stevens Center on Oct.
rj- 28. Oct. 30 and Nov. 1. As an African
: American male, the 34 year-old, who holds
a master's degree in music from Indiana
University, says that he is a bit of an anomaly
in the opera world.
"In the production I'm in right now, I'm
the only black principal, and that's not
abnormal," Redding stated.
Yet Redding - who recently appeared in the Seattle Opera's produc
tion of "Porgy and Bess" - says he doesn't let his race hold him back.
"My professors would always prep me by
saying. 'You know you're going to have to be
twice as good as the rest of them.'" he related.
"1 quit with that chip on my shoulder. I even
tually started saying. I just have to be better
than myself." because that's pretty high (stan
dards)."
Redding says not everyone has been as will
ing to set the issue of race aside as he has.
'There's so many roles that I think I can
sing, but I'm not necessarily sure that these
companies would have me to sing against their
prima donna female of another race." he said. "I
Redding
don't think it's a racist issue, I just don't think people can see outside
of their boxes right now."
Despite the obvious setbacks. Redding has enjoyed a prolific
career, appearing in nearly 20 productions on stages in more than a
See Redding on A12
Unfazed
JESUS
SMB.
Korirthiws^
Photo by Kevin Walker
Slate Rep. Marcus Brandon waves to a group of silent protestors
Saturday as he makes his way along the Winston-Salem PRIDE
2011 parade route. Brandon served as grand marshal! of the gay
pride parade, one of several events Saturday that attracted thou
sands to the downtown area.
Bi-lingual readers share tales
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
California-bom Gabricla Lopez spent much of
her life in Mexico, and since returning to the
United States, the mother of
Corley
two has made a point of sup
porting the local Hispanic
community as much as pos
sible.
Lopez, an employee of
the International Center at
Forsyth Technical
Community College, put her
bilingual skills to use
Monday as a volunteer at
Hall-Woodward Elementary s
first-ever Hispanic Read-In.
"I think we should celebrate the differences
among the communities and the cultures and just
embrace the best of all cultures," she said.
The Read-In served as a the culmination for the
school's celebration of National Hispanic Heritage
See Readers on A9
Photos by Uiyla Farmer
Pastor Israel Ortiz of First Assembly
Ministries addresses a class before reading
his selection.
ir
Spend it here.
Keep it here.
BUY LOCAL FIRST!
CHAMBER
A Mind For Business.